Cooling tower



March 26, 1940. G. w MEYER r AL 2,194,711

GOOLING TOWER Filed Feb. 20, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l 172001230176. m Gear-7e hi Alger. Q Peferi', [7a or.

- March 26, 1940. w, MEYER ET AL 2,194,711

COOLING TOWER March 26, 19.40. a. w. MEYER ET AL COOLING TOWER FiledFeb. 20, 1939 :s sheets' sneet a lnverglonr. ge Zer Fl uqr.

Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COOLING TOWER,

George W. Meyer, North Hollywood, and Peter Fluor, Anaheim, Galifl,assignors to The Fluor Corporation, Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of California This invention has t'-do generally with watercooling towers, and is concerned particularly with improvements incooling towers such as the forced draft type, in which the interiorcooling zone has a substantially solid or continuous wall enclosure, asdistinguished from an open arrangement of louvers or baiilescharacteristic of atmospheric cooling towers.

In forced draft towers of the usual wooden construction, it is customaryto enclose the cooling zone in which downwardly showered water iscontacted with upwardly flowing air, within solidly boarded walls, theouter surfaces of which are openly exposed to the atmosphere. Beingdirectly exposed also to the cooling zone, the enclosingwall'becomeswater soaked while the tower is in operation, and in timewater also leaks through the wall at openings or cracks that developbetween the wall boards largely as a result of outside weathering of thewall from direct exposure to the sun. This gives rise to a number ofobjectionable conditions discussed briefly in the following, which havebeen overcome by the improvements contemplated by the invention.

In the first place, there is a tendency for, the outer surface of thewall to dry excessively in direct sunlight, with the result that thewall boards warp and open large cracks and seams for the water to leakthrough. Fungus growths, such as algae that usually appear in moistinteriors of cooling towers, also develop on the outer surface of thewall due to its normally wet condition and the open exposure to sunlightthat promotes algae growth. In a short time the tower takes on anunsightly appearance which cannot be improved by practicable means, asby painting, since obviously the wetted wall surface under the describedconditions is not suited to painting, and in any event the continuedalgae growth would soon restore the wall to its objectionableappearance.

The principal objectof this invention is to obviate the above mentioneddifliculties by providing, in conjunction with the usual inner andsubstantially continuous wall, an outer apertured wall that will shieldand at the same time permit air circulation against the surface of theinner wall. By this means it is possible-to eliminate the objectionableconditions resulting from direct and open exposure of the wall, 1. e1,excessive drying and warping, and algae growth, and at the same timeprovide suflieient air circulation against the wall to prevent wet rotand other difliculties that might result from lack of or inadequateaeration of the wall. By shading and at the same time permitting aircirculation against the inner wall, it is possible to keep the wallsubstantially cooler and consequently to avoid transferring some heatfrom the atmosphere to the cooling'chamber; This advantage is ofparticular importance in forced draft towers since the latter frequentlyare in operation only periodically, and by reason of the wall exposurein the conventional designs, the tower becomes abnormally heated byexposure to the sun when notin operation. The use of the apertured outerwall is of further importance in that it provides an exposed surface,which because of its dryness will remain in relatively clean condition,and which, moreover, may be so designed.

as to greatly improve the appearance of the entire cooling towerstructure.

All the above mentioned features and objects of the invention, aswell asthe details of a typical and illustrativeembodiment thereof, will beunderstood 'more fully from the description to follow. Throughout thedescription reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectionl through the tower,

taken on lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively. of

Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a of Fig. 2; and

Fig. '7 is a similar section showing the corner at the top of the blowerchamber in plan, the roof of the blower chamber being broken away toshow the frame structure.-

Referring first to Fig. 1, the cooling tower structure comprises a.frame structure including side and end rows of aligned vertical columnsin having footings at [I in the water collecting basin 1! at the base ofthe tower. The interior cooling zone l3 of the tower is enclosed by asubstantially continuous boarded wall ll, which ordinarily is built ofsheathing applied to the inner faces of the columns l0 along both thesides and ends of the tower so as to enclose the cooling zone It. Forcedair circulation into and upwardly through the cooling zone is maintainedby one corner plan section on line 6-6 or a series of blowers I 5,depending upon the number of longitudinal sections or cells in thetower, one blower being provided for each "section. Each blower ispositioned within an annular opening l6 defined by a ring mounted in theoutwardly offset continuous wall |8 of the blower chamber I8. The latteris enclosed at the top by a continuous roof 28 which may be formedofsheathing like that used in the described inner wall |4 enclosing thecooling zone. As indiconcerned with these features, a brief descriptionof the typical water distributing system and deck arrangement willsuffice. Water to be cooled is delivered to the tower through a mainline 23 having one or more horizontal header connections 24 (dependingupon the number of sections or cells of the tower), from which extend aseries of pipes 25 and 26, see Fig. 2, through which the water isdelivered to the sprayheads or nozzles generally indicated at 21. Thewater is sprayed onto a itop deck 28 and is then subjected to continueddivision and surface exposure in flowing down over a series of staggeredand inclined decks or bailles 29. As illustrated, the inclined decks 29are supported on transchords 38 mounted on vertical supports 3| and 32,the latter being applied to the wall l4 directly opposite the columnsIll. The air leaving the cooling zone passes upwardly through the usualdrift eliminators 33 at the top.of the tower, the latter serving toremove water entrainment and reduce water losses from the tower.

The construction described thus far is conventional in cooling towers ofthe forced draft type. It has, however, and particularly with respect tothe condition of the wall |4 after the tower has been in operation overa period of time. the disadvantages mentioned in the introductory partof the description. As stated, the sheathing |4 normally is openlyexposed around the outside of the tower, and receives direct sunlightwhich, after the wall has become water-soaked through exposure to thecooling zone, tends to dry excessively the outer surface of the wall,causing the individual boards 4a to warp and open cracks at the seams orjoints l4b. Water then seeps through the joints and runs down theoutside of the wall producing not only an unsightly appearance, butcreating a condition, *excessive moisture and direct sunlight, mostconducive to algae formation. In accordance with the invention, we havebeen able to eliminate the disadvantages that have been characteristicin this type of forced draft tower, by enclosing the continuous innerwall H by an outer apertured wall which not only shields the inner wallbut also provides for free air circulation against the surface of thelatter, a feature of particular importance for the maintenance of theinner wall in proper condition.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 to 5, the

outer wall assembly generally indicated at 34, is intended in the broadaspects of the invention to comprise any suitable foraminous orapertured wall structure that will amply shield the inner wall l4 andpermit air circulation against 4 its outer surface. In its preferredform, the outer wall 34 is of slatted construction, comprising two ormore parallel rows of spaced, relatively offset vertically extendingwooden slats 35, the slat rows being held apart by transverse spacers36. Also preferably, the outer wall assembly is formed in relativelyoffset sections 31,

38; 39, and 40, each of which is made upin creasing substantially itsstrength and rigidity.

The inwardly offset sections 38 and 40 are applied directly to the outerfaces of the columns ,lll, section 40 being placed between thehorizontal girts 4| at the top and bottom of sections 38 and 31respectively, as shown. As illustrated in Fig. 4, sections'39 and 40 arespaced from the inner wall H at 44 a distance corresponding to thethickness of columns l0, sections 31 and 38 being spaced an additionaldistance corresponding to the horizontal width of the girts 4|.

. The arrangement of relatively offset, spaced slats in the outer wallcompletely shields the inner wall, thus preventing an excessive dryingthrough direct exposure to the sun, and at the same time permitting freecirculation of air to cool the inner wall and maintain it in a propercondition of dryness. The horizontal girts 4| preferably are inclinedtoward the cooling zone, as illustrated, in order that if for any reasonwater should enter the spaces at the inside of the outer sections 36 and31, as during rainy periods, the water will drain through the spaces at44 into the water collecting basin II at the base of the tower. As willbe seezi from Figs. 1 and 2', the outer wall structure greatly improvesthe appearance of the tower and also provides an exposed wall that willresist deterioration byreason of its dryness and constant aeration.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the outer continuous wall |8 of the blowerchamber I8 is similarly protected by an outer spaced foraminous wall,generally indicated at 45. The latter may be made of the same slattedconstruction as the sections of the previously described outer wall 34,although for convenience in constructing the wall about the bloweropening l3, we prefer to build the wall 45 of preformed sections'46, 41,and 48, fitted into position, as illustrated. These sections may bemounted on suitable supporting members 49 and 80 applied to the outerface of wall l8, and maintaining the walls in suitably spaced relationas indicated at 5|.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of an improved cornerconstruction for cooling towers having an exposed outer wall of thedescribed slatted type. Referring particularly to Fig. 6, the standardcorner construction comprises a curved section 52 made up of inner .andouter rows of relatively offset slats 53 applied to curved spacers 54,the ends of which are brought into alignment with spacers 38, so thatthe corner section 52 forms a smoothly curved continuation of the sidesections. The corner correspondingly spaced openings in cleats 43 and 58to tie together the corner and side sections of the outer wall. Asillustrated, at each corner one of the girts may be cut diagonally as at59 to provide clearance for the corner section. The details of thecornerv section construction and mounting at the corner of the blowerchamber as shown in Fig. 7, will be apparent from the foregoing and neednot be further described.

It will be understood that the drawings are to be regarded merely asillustrative of the invention in oneof its typical and preferred formsand that various changes and modifications may be made without departurefrom the invention in its intended spirit and scope.

We claim:

4 1. In a cooling tower, a substantially continuous, verticallyextending inner wall exposed to an enclosed zone in' which water iscooled by contact with air, a horizontally extending and outwardlyprojecting member at the outside of said inner wall, and an aperturedouter wall attached to and vertically supported by said horizontallyextending member and spaced from the inner wall, said outer wall shadingthe inner wall and permitting air circulation through the outer wall andagainst the surface of the inner wall.

2. In a cooling tower, a plurality of alined vertically extendingcolumns, a substantially solidly boarded inner wall at the inside of andsupported by said columns, said inner wall being exposed to a coolingzone in which water is cooled by contact with air, and an aperturedouter wall supported by said columns at the outside thereof, said outerwall shading the inner wall and permitting air circulation through theouter wall and against the surface of the inner wall.

3. In a cooling tower, a plurality of alined vertically extendingcolumns, a substantially solidly boarded inner'wall at the inside of andsupported by saidcolumns, said inner wall being exposed to, a coolingzone in which water is cooled by contact with air, and an apertured'outer wall comprising a section supported directiy adjacent the outsideof said columns and an outwardly "offset section supported by saidcolumns, said outer wall shading the inner wall and permitting aircirculation through the outer wall and against the surface of the innerwall.

4. In a cooling tower, a plurality of alined vertically extendingcolumns, a substantially solidly boarded inner wall at the inside of andsupported by said columns, said inner wall being exposed to a coolingzone in which water is cooled by contact with air, a plurality ofhorizontally extending members supported by said columns and projectingoutwardly therefrom, and an apertured outer wall mounted on saidmembers, said outer wall shading the inner wall and permitting aircirculation through the outer wall and against the surface of .the innerwall.

5. In a cooling tower, a plurality of alined vertically extendingcolumns, a substantially solidly boarded inner wall at the inside of andsupported by said columns, said inner wall being exposed to a coolingzone in which water is cooled by contact with air, a plurality ofhorizontally extending members supported by said columns and projectingoutwardly therefrom, and an apertured outer wall comprising an outwardlyoffset section mounted on said members and an inwardly offset section:supported directly adjacent the outside of said columns, said outer wallshading the inner wall and permitting air circulation through the outerwall and against the surface of the inner wall.

6. In a cooling tower, a plurality of alined vertically extendingcolumns, a substantially solidly boarded inner wall at the inside of andsupported by said columns, said inner wall being exposed to a coolingzone in which water is cooled by contact with air, a plurality ofhorizontally extending members supported by said columns and projectingoutwardly therefrom, and an apertured outer wall comprising an outwardlyoffset sectionmounted on said members and aninwardly offset sectionsupported directly adjacent the outside of said columns, said outer wallsections comprising vertically extending spaced andrelatively offsetmembers shading the inner wall and permitting air circulation throughthe outer wall and against the surface of the inner wall.

7. In a forced draft cooling tower, a substantially continuous,vertically extending inner wall having a; blower opening therein-throughwhichair is discharged into a cooling chamber, and an apertured outerwall at the outside of said inner wall about the blower opening andpermithaving a blower opening-therein through which air is dischargedinto a cooling chamber, and an apertured outer wall at the outside ofsaid inner relatively oi'l'set members and said sections bein positionedabout said blower opening.

10. In a forced draft cooling tower, a substantially continuous.vertically extending inner wall exposed to an enclosed cooling zone inwhich water is cooled by, contact with air, means for forcing a streamof air through said-zone, and an apertured outer wall at the outside ofsaid inner wall, said outer wall shading and extending substantially theheight of the inner wall and permitting air circulation through the'outer wall and against the surface of the inner wall independentlyofthe air stream passing through said cooling zone.

11. In a forced draft cooling tower, a substantially continuous,vertically extending inner wall exposed to an enclosed cooling zone inwhich water is cooled by contact with air, means for forcing a, streamof air through said zone, and ,an apertured outer wall spaced from theoutside of said inner wall to provide a vertically extendving air spacebetween the walls, said outer wall shading and extending substantiallythe height 4 to an enclosed zone in which water is 15 cooled-by contactwith air, means for forcing a stream of air through said zone, and anapertured outer wall at the outside of said inner wall structure, meansfor vertically supporting said outer wall on the inner wall, said outerwall shading at least the greater portion of the inner wall surface andpermitting air circulation through the outer wall and against thesurface of said continuous wall.

13. In a forced draft cooling tower, a vertically extending inner wallstructure including frame members and a substantially continuous wallexposed to an enclosed zone in which water is cooled by contact withair, means for forcing a stream of air through said zone, and anapertured outer wall at the outside of said inner wall structure, meansfor vertically supporting said outer wall on the inner wall, said outerwall comprising spaced relatively offset members shading at least thegreater portion of the inner wall surface and permitting air circulationthrough the outer wall and against the surface-of said continuous wall.

14. In a forced draft cooling tower, a vertically extending inner wallstructure including frame members and a substantially continuous wallexposed to an enclosed zone in which water is cooled by contact withair, means for forcing a stream of air through said zone, and anapertured outer wall at the outside of said inner wall structure andextending substantially the height thereof, said outer wall comprisingvertically extending spaced and relatively offset members shading theinner wall and permitting air circulation through 1 the outer wall andagainst the surface of said continuous wall.

15. In a forced draft cooling tower, a vertically extending inner wallexposed to an enclosed zone in which water is cooled by contact withair, means for forcing a stream of air through said zone, an aperturedouter wall comprising vertically extending,'horizontally offset sectionspositioned at the outside of said inner wall, and vertical frame columnsbetween and vertically supporting both of said walls, said outer wallshading the inner wall and permitting air circulation through the outerwall and against the surface of the inner wall,

GEORGE W. MEYER. PETER E. FLUOR'.

